West Virginia applied for entry to the Big 12 and while it was told it would be accepted, the university was waiting on a formal acceptance from the Big 12, a source close to the situation told Sporting News this week.

However, it appears politics has caused a pinch in the process.

According to The New York Times, two people with direct knowledge of the situation—Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell and University of Oklahoma president and former senator David Boren—have slowed the train in hopes of the Big 12 welcoming Louisville instead of West Virginia. McConnell is a Louisville graduate and served on the U.S. Senate with Boren.

A person with knowledge of the Big 12's discussions told The Associated Press Wednesday that no decision was made by the conference to add West Virginia, and that Louisville is still a candidate to be invited to join.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the Big 12's internal discussions are being conducted privately. The person added that a decision about expansion is not expected before next week.

The Big 12 board of directors is reportedly meeting again to discuss conference realignment and will vote again on Monday.

“I think it’s 50-50 right now between West Virginia and Louisville,” a source close to the situation told the New York Times. Another source added that it was “too close to call.”

West Virginia was prepared to make the announcement in a press conference, but that was canceled in light of the current situation. According to MetroNews.com, WVU has been asked to provide more information to the Big 12.

The latest hiccup has angered West Virginia senator Joe Manchin, who spoke to USA Today:

“If these outrageous reports have any merit – and especially if a United States Senator has done anything inappropriate or unethical to interfere with a decision that the Big 12 had already made – then I believe that there should be an investigation in the U.S. Senate, and I will fight to get the truth.

"West Virginians and the American people deserve to know exactly what is going on and whether politics is interfering with our college sports.”

West Virginia Athletic Director Oliver Luck declined comment in a text message to the AP.

"I think all of this should have great clarity within the next 10 days or less," University of Oklahoma President David Boren said Wednesday after a regents meeting in Lawton, Okla.